If, say, BMW invites you to ride in a new BMW M5 on a Swedish lake, the cynic in you might expect…
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The unsurprising news? It looks exactly like the concept shown to a private group two months ago. The semi-surprising news? The twin-turbo V8 engine is putting down a sub-Cadillac CTS-V 552 horses. Hell, the uber-Caddy's even got a good 50 more torques than the new M5. Did an American automaker just beat the Germans at the power war? It seems so.

This is a 556-hp, rear-wheel-drive Cadillac. It has two doors, six speeds, and enough grunt to yank …
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In March, when Chris Harris drove the new F10-platformed M5 for us and EVO magazine, BMW wouldn't yet confirm what tweaks had been made to the X6M/X5M twin-turbo V8, but admitted to different intake and exhaust systems and cryptically stating it would be unlikely to let the M5 have less power than the hot-UVs. True to form, the new M5 has more than 547 HP.

Unfortunately for BMW, it's only a little bit more — 552 HP. While a sizable jump from the previous E60 M5's power output, it's still a few horsies short of the newest badass bomber from across the puddle — the Cadillac CTS-V.

But really, the numbers aren't actually what's important here. The real important thing — as far as 'merican fanboys are concerned — is this is the first time a new BMW M5 has launched and a freakin' Cadillac can be considered the reference point on it. That's a shift of Teutonic proportions.

More details will come next week ahead of the official unveiling at the M Festival next Thursday. But for the moment, feast your eyes on this Thanksgiving-sized feast of photos of car you've pretty much already seen — and we've even driven. (Hat tip to Ed!)